John AD 1199-1216 Silver Short Cross Penny Ex J. P. Mass Collection Durham mint

John AD 1199-1216 Silver Short Cross Penny Ex J. P. Mass Collection

Durham mint/Pieres

18mm, 1.40g

Comes with old handwritten label

The Professor Jeffery P. Mass collection of short cross pennies is perhaps the best known name and collection in this corner of numismatics, a Anglo American gentleman who was always willing to share his extensive knowledge of the subject and with virtually unrivalled academic abilities. In his fifteen years of collecting short cross pennies he accumulated not the largest, but arguably the most comprehensive representation of the series. This was recognised by the decision to make his collection the subject of a volume in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles series, an acknowledgement of its importance. Like Jeffrey North before him, Jeffrey Mass undertook the authorship of his own collection. His collection was dispersed following his death in 2001.

John was the youngest and also favourite son of Henry II. As he was expected to inherit any substantial land John was known as John Lackland however Henry appointed him Lord of Ireland in AD 1177. Despite rebelling whilst Richard was away on the Crusades John was crowned king when Richard died.
When war broke out with the French in AD 1202 John quickly lost most of his French possessions and then spent the rest of his reign trying to regain them. John was excommunicated by the Pope over his insistence in appointing Bishop Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury. Increased taxation needed to pay for his war with France caused his nobles to rebel and in AD 1215 John was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymeade.
John died the following year whilst campaigning in East Anglia. It was during this campaign that he is alleged to have lost the Crown Jewels whilst attempting to cross the Wash.
The Short Cross penny was the only issue in England and this did not bear John’s name. In Ireland however there were 3 issues as well as the St Patricks coinage of John De Courcy who was Lord of Ulster between AD 1185 AND ad 1205. There were no Anglo Gallic coins issued in John’s name.